Hurricanes players reflect on NHL camp experiences

By Lethbridge Herald on October 6, 2022.

Herald photo by JUSTIN SEWARD Cole Shepard had a great experience at Vancouver Canucks main camp.

By Justin Seward

Lethbridge Herald

One of the newly acquired Lethbridge Hurricanes, Cole Shepard, and co-captain Joe Arntsen spoke about their times at NHL camps.

Shepard, who was acquired by the Canes a couple weeks ago from the Vancouver Giants, was released from Vancouver Canucks main camp last week after participating in the rookie camp, The Young Stars Classic Penticton, main camp and an exhibition game.

“It was a lot of fun ,” said the 20-year-old West Vancouver, British Columbia product.

“I mean just going to the rookie camp and getting an opportunity to be at an NHL camp is always a great experience. And then obviously to be able to move on and be around the older guys and some solid NHLers, it was a lot of fun and a great experience.”

Players were split into  scrimmage teams throughout camp.

“I mean Luke Schenn was a really welcoming guy, which was nice, and then I was fortunate enough to skate with (Bo) Horvat and then to get into a game on Sunday with (Elias) Pettersson— so it was a lot of fun.”

He was told by those players to basically relax.

“Once you settle in, they’re right by your side if you ever need anything to go up and ask them; they’re super welcoming,” he said.

Shepard said the rookie camp was fast.

“It was good hockey,” he said.

“Most guys there were drafted, signed or really good in the leagues that they came from. So that was fast paced and we were able to get into a couple games in Penticton there which was a lot of fun. Then going into main camp and preseason, obviously the guys get bigger, faster, you get closed in on quicker and you’ve kind of just got to know a couple plays ahead where the puck’s going or else you get left behind.”

Shepard is the younger brother of former Cane Jackson Shepard.

Canes co-captain Joe Arntsen attended Carolina Hurricanes rookie camp earlier in September.

“Yeah, it  was  awesome,” said Arntsen.

“I got to go down to Raleigh and play in the rookie tournament down there. You know, I got to go down there in the summer for development camp too ,which was really nice for the second time going down there ,kind of knowing what I’m kind of getting myself into. You get to see all those pro guys down there and how they play and how they prepare every day and just to see the speed of the game and see where I fit in with the rest of the prospects down there.”

Arntsen thought it was  a step up.

“Once I stepped up and played my game I was pretty comfortable at that level,” he said.

He said you don’t have a lot of time with the puck and be able to make reads at a fast pace.

His foot speed needs to be worked on is the biggest takeaway from the camp.